


Unbalanced

by diangelonnico, eatingchocolate25



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Basically zombies, In The Flesh AU, Multi, Not going to follow the show completely, PDS is Partially Dead Syndrome, Some are PDS, Some are mortal, There's going to be some tweaks here and there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-02-14 09:58:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2187483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diangelonnico/pseuds/diangelonnico, https://archiveofourown.org/users/eatingchocolate25/pseuds/eatingchocolate25
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Rising was three years ago. Since then the government medicated zombies and started to call then PDS sufferers. They're all sent back into society so they can go back to the lives they had before the Rising. Nico is a PDS sufferer from Roarton, a small village in the middle of nowhere. He is forced to go back there but the problem is the people of Roarton are hostile towards PDS sufferers. Here he faces prejudice, destruction, betrayal and even love. Will he survive?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unbalanced

**Author's Note:**

> Would you look at that. We finally finished the first chapter of the In The Flesh AU we were planning to do. This is Chocky at the moment and can I just say I am happy with how this has gone so far.  
> We're not going to follow the show exactly but we're using it as a basis. We have a plan but we can disregard it and go a different way if we need to. Who knows how this is going to end up though. I'm kinda excited though and I know Harriet is too.  
> You don't have to have watched the show to understand what we're doing but I'd definitely recommend watching it. It is worth it what with their hot pan zombies.  
> Don't ask when it's next being updated because who knows. We'll try to be quick but my schedule is busy at the moment.  
> Hope you enjoy this and we love kudos and comments. We really do.

All around him the only colour he could see was white. Everything was white, even the wooden tables and his clothes. It felt empty and uncomfortable. He was missing the black clothes he was used to wearing all the time back when he was alive. He was missing his room that was painted the darkest paint he could find and was covered in all his paintings and drawings from when he was alive. Nico doubted his room even looked like that anymore. Persephone probably painted the room a pastel colour by now that she approved of more, maybe she’d even thrown his paintings out. His father would have let her do that; he disapproved of Nico’s love of things that Persephone hated, including dark colours.

Sometimes Nico felt as if his father loved Persephone and Bianca and Hazel (whenever he remembered her existence) more than he’d ever love Nico, no matter what he did. Maybe that was part of why he didn’t want to stick around anymore, as well as . . . . as well as Percy. Percy who had disappeared into the navy as soon as he was old enough and gotten killed. After that, Nico had lost his purpose. Ever since Percy had left, Nico had been looking forward to him coming back and when he found out he never would . . . well he was devastated enough to eat that suspicious looking, bright blue, overcooked cake that was left on his doorstep.

Yet now he was back. Whoever decided the Rising was a good idea was clearly crazy. Nico was perfectly happy before the Rising when he was in his grave, dead how it should be; even though he never actually asked to be dead. Now he was being forced to drug himself up every day and wear a tonne of makeup just to hide his ‘unnatural’ skin tone and wear what he heard were uncomfortable eye contacts too. This was exactly why he didn’t want to be back again.

Also, being back meant he had to go and live with parents again, and he would be eighteen forever. That’s right, forever. He would have to wear these contacts and this cover-up and take shots of neurotriptyline every day for the rest of eternity. Not his idea of fun. Hades and Persephone were supposed to be picking him up tomorrow, and he was worried as to how they’d react. Would they accept him as he was or would they shun him out again? Bianca was the favourite child, the one they would want back should she die, not Nico. They were probably celebrating when he died, not grieving. Well Hazel would have grieved because it was Hazel. Maybe Nico would find out soon, although he didn’t have too many doubts about it. Knowing Hades and Persephone, they would end up forgetting they had to pick Nico up and he would be stuck in this white washed hospital for the rest of eternity. That sounded like his idea of hell. Life was way worse than Death even before Nico had died. Nico didn’t know how to describe it, he had been given the second chance that he most certainly did not want, under any circumstances. He was screwed. More screwed than usual. Which was saying something because he was always completely and utterly screwed back when he was actually fully alive. Although he was a bit excited about seeing Hazel again.

**~0~**

“Son.” Nico’s father greeted the day after. Nico looked at his father and noticed he had aged a lot in the past three years. His hair was greying and his once-smooth face was mapped with wrinkles. It looked like Hades had finally ditched his tight fitting jeans and t-shirts in favour of something a lot looser and something obviously Persephone approved of. It also looked like Hades had developed bags under his eyes. Maybe Bianca was stressing Hades out by doing something Hades didn’t completely agree with? But what? Hades loved Bianca enough to help her bury the body if she committed murder. There was nothing she could do in the world that Hades would disapprove of, unlike Nico who Hades disapproved of, no matter what, or so Nico thought. Unless it was Hazel. Although he doubted that because Hazel was a good girl. She wasn’t one to cause stress to anyone and even if she was, Hades didn’t care about her much.

Persephone on the other hand hadn’t changed at all. She still looked like the 20-or so year old model turned florist who married his father a few years after his mother’s death. She was wearing similar looking pink floral pattern dresses as she wore the day he died and her dark brown hair was styled in the same way- a complicated braid that must have taken ages and a lot of help from her favourite stepchild.

“Father. Persephone.” Nico hesitantly greeted. This was awkward, but Nico was saved as his ‘counsellor’ came up behind him smiling.

“Hi, you must be Mr and Mrs di Angelo.” He smiled, holding his hand out for them to shake.

Hades nodded and shook his hand, his expression not once wavering from the steely glare he never seemed to drop.

“Nico is ready to go. I’m sure I don’t have to explain to you how to medicate him but I am legally required to remind you that you have to medicate him every single day otherwise, if untreated, he would cause danger to society.” His counsellor was still smiling. His father on the other hand sent a look of disdain towards the counsellor. Persephone was sporting her usual poker face.

“Of course. We should really go.” Hades took Nico by the arm and dragged him out of the hospital.

They got into their car; Hades and Persephone in the front and Nico shoved into the back as always and began the long drive home. It was hell.

**~0~**

Once the car managed to get to the outskirts of the town they lived, Hades finally piped up. “Nico you’re going to have to hide.”

“Hide?” He asked, confusion laced into his tone.

“Yes. Hide. We don’t want anyone to see you. It’s dangerous here for PDS sufferers.”

“Dangerous?” Nico asked, extremely confused.

“Yes. Dangerous.” Persephone told him harshly, joining in the conversation. “So do as you’re told.” Nico scrambled to try and make himself as invisible as possible while wondering what was waiting for him in Roarton, the place he used to call home before everything happened.

There was a knock on the window next to the driving seat. “Yes?” Hades asked with a bored tone while rolling down the window.

“What are you two doing here? Shouldn’t you be at church?” Asked Dionysus, a neighbour Nico never actually liked. The man was always hungover or drunk and he was an angry drunk too. He always shouted at Nico whenever he saw him and hated anything associated with Nico. Worst of all Dionysus owned ugly suits that were painful to look at like his pink and yellow Hawaiian style suit. From the tone of his voice, Nico guessed he was hungover.

“We had to go and pick up a package Dionysus.”

“Of course you did. Anyway, you can go past if you must.”

**~0~**

Once they got home Hades and Persephone had to smuggle Nico into their house like he was some sort of fugitive. The two insisted it was dangerous if Nico was caught by the neighbours but Nico was sure he was smuggled in because they were embarrassed to be seen with Nico, unsurprisingly.

Once they were inside, Persephone let out a sigh. Nico’s father started to rearrange the photographs that were laid on the cabinet next to the door. “You can go to your room now.”

Nico sighed. They were going to be like they always were then. Sending Nico to his room and pretending he didn’t exist - trying to live their ‘happy little family’ thing without him as usual since he didn’t seem to conform to their idea of a happy family.

Nico climbed the stairs and was surprised to find his room as he left it. Of course it had been cleaned up a bit but apart from that, his paintings and sketches were still hanging on the walls and his bed covers were the same; his clothes still in his wardrobe and all his bits and bobs in the drawers and under his bed. He definitely wasn’t expecting that. He was expecting the floral heaven Persephone always wanted. He shrugged and laid down happy to be back but at the same time . . . not.

He just wanted to see Bianca and Hazel. He had been expecting them to come with their parents to pick him up; he’d missed them. From what Persephone said he gathered that Bianca joined the HVF, and he was worried - what if she didn’t want to know him just because he had been given a second chance at life as a zombie by some cruel twisted fate that he didn’t choose and didn’t particularly want. He wasn’t completely sure about Hazel seeing as he was ignoring her existence as usual and what she was doing but he was sure she was fine and would accept his zombie-ness easily.

At that point he heard a high pitched voice calling his name. Persephone. “Nico darling, dinner.” She said in her nasally voice that sounded like she was trying really hard to be nice to Nico. he wasn’t buying it. Nevertheless he thought he’d better go down.

“I don’t eat.” He said monotonously as he walked down the stairs. They were both sat at the kitchen table with plates full of food in front of them. He assumed one of them was for him. Hazel and Bianca weren’t.

“It would be nice to just . . . pretend.” Hades said. “That everythings normal. For a little while. Wouldn’t it?” He asked.

Nico shrugged and sat down. So this was how it was going to be. He picked up his knife and fork and pretended to eat - for his dad. No matter what he said about his father or what he said to Nico, Nico always tried his best to make him proud, ever since Hades had made the point of ‘Bianca’s better than you.’ Nico hated that being thrown in his face so he tried, he really did - Bianca was probably still better than Nico after all this time and trauma. Nothing to be more proud of than a daughter in the HVF with a medal for killing people like Nico.

Still, it hadn’t taken the zombie apocalypse for Hades to admit who his favourite child was. And people wonder why Nico did what he did. Of course this wasn’t the only reason but it factored into it - everything did.

“Where’s Hazel and Bianca?” He asked. Hades and Persephone shared a look that made Nico suspicious. “What?”

“Hazel’s in the treatment centre honey.” Persephone told him.

“What?” He was shocked. Why was she at the treatment centre? Why Hazel? What did he miss?

“She was crushed by a tree a few weeks after your funeral. It was taking her a longer time to be treated. We’re going to pick her up some time next week.” Nico wasn’t expecting that. His younger half-sister? A PDS sufferer? He was shocked and slightly annoyed. Why Hazel of all people? She was supposed to marry her best friend Frank and have lots of adorably kind children with him and have a happy life. She wasn’t supposed to be like him.

His musings were interrupted by the front door slamming shut. Was Bianca home? Nico was suddenly excited about seeing his sister again after about three or so years. As much as he hated his father’s blatant favouritism and hated the fact that his little sister was now a zombie, he adored his older sister too. Bianca really was a perfect big sister. Nico remembered all those moments with his sister, before everything went wrong, where the only emotions he felt towards her was pride and love.

He really was looking forward to seeing her but that was stopped short when she walked straight past him, looking him right in the eye and glared at him. If looks could kill! She stormed up the stairs, her long black ponytail swinging behind her. “Are you not eating with us?” Persephone asked again using her sickly sweet voice that was so fake Nico almost believed it.

“I’m not coming to eat with you till that disappears. I mean it. I’ll spend the night on a bench if I have to.” Bianca called from upstairs.

Nico frowned. He looked down at the uneaten meal in front of him and he pushed his chair back walking out of the house with the door slamming shut behind. He didn’t let the tears fall until he was well away from the house but when they did fall, they fell hard (although that might have been the rain). His heart felt like it had been ran over and opened up and torn apart all at the same time. He had looked forward to seeing Bianca so so much and . . . and the way she had looked at him, called him that and stormed off. It hurt, it really really hurt. He didn’t know what to do. He could hear Persephone calling him to come back but he didn’t care about Persephone or his father or that stupid meal. All he cared about was Bianca, a girl who hated him.

Him and Bianca had been so close before everything happened and now. It took Nico a while to realise that while he’d been rotting in his grave and then being drugged up with medication for months on end, Bianca had been living her life. She’d grown apart from him - and it seemed as if she hated him. To her he wasn’t Nico . . . he was just a zombie but to Nico, Bianca was still his world.

He was gonna have to suck it up and deal with it. He couldn’t have Bianca just like he couldn’t have his real mother or Percy or anything that he’d ever wanted. Life had been a bitch to him and was still a bitch.

Nico was secretly glad it was dark outside because it was easier for him to disappear without being spotted by anyone who knew him and knew the fact that he was meant to be dead. He’d heard people round here weren’t very accepting of the undead and he had seen first hand the reactions they could have - from his own sister; someone who was supposed to love him. He couldn’t bear thinking about what someone who didn’t know him well would say or do if that was Bianca’s reaction. He couldn’t bear to think about how Hazel would be affected when she came back.

Nico was tempted to go to the cave he found when Percy was still around but he knew that would bring back bad memories. Thinking about his encounter with his sister was bad enough, he did not want to remember what happened with Percy or after Percy.

After what he assumed was about an hour, he decided to go back home, if he was still allowed home. He wasn’t completely sure the people who lived there wanted him around but all his stuff was there and he wanted his things back. He also didn’t really have anywhere else to go - unless he went back to the treatment centre which was the last place he wanted to go. He wasn’t anywhere until he saw Hazel and made sure she was safe. She was his last good thing in life and he was not letting her go any time soon.

**~0~**

Once he got back home he found his father pacing in the living room while Persephone was trying to knit. Trying was the key word of course. It looked like she had dropped a lot of stitches which was strange for her. She was a fantastic knitter who hardly ever dropped stitches. He wondered if something was up. It was probably him that was up - he knew they didn’t want him around especially not after the whole coming back from the dead thing.

Persephone looked up from her knitting when Nico closed the living room door. “Where have you been?” She snapped.

“Out.” Nico shrugged unzipping his coat.

“Do you realise what would have happened if the wrong person saw you?” Hades asked stopping pacing and giving Nico a stern look with the eyes that were so like his own.

Nico shrugged again looking at the floor. “They would start running at me with torches and pitchforks screaming ZOMIBIEEEE.” Nico replied sarcastically.

Hades pressed his lips into a thin line clearly not pleased with this answer. “The people here. . . they’re not accepting. They don’t understand the medication you’re on. To them whether you're rabid or not . . . they won’t hesitate to kill you Nico. You need to be careful.” He explained.

“I had my hood up.” Nico replied.

Hades and Persephone both sighed. “I think you should stay inside for a while - until the community realises that this medication makes you more like us. Even with your cover-up . . . it’s not enough.” Persephone said.

Nico frowned. So he was supposed to stay locked up here with people who hate him to get away from the people who hate him even more and might possibly kill him given the chance. Sounded great.

“Fine.” He stormed up the stairs and into his room, slamming the door shut. All he could think about was regretting eating that cake. If he never ate that blasted poisoned cake then none of this would happen.

~0~

“Do you have any plans for today?” Persephone asked him while she was trying to medicate him. She aligned the nozzle of the syringe (because the machine used to give him a shot looked more like a gun than a normal injection syringe. That was probably because whoever made the syringes liked the thought of PDS sufferers being shot by a “gun” every day) to the hole in his back where the neurotriptyline was injected. He needed to have a shot of neurotriptyline every day to stop him from going “rabid” and killing lots of people and causing chaos. Injecting the neurotriptyline hurt slightly but the pain was gone after a few seconds.

“Not really. Just doing whatever I want to really.”

“Don’t make a mess.” She patted him on the head and went off to her flower shop.

**~0~**

Staying at home was boring. There wasn’t much to do except watch the films Hades had acquired over the years or draw or paint. He did a mixture of all three. It was an okay way to pass the time but not the best. He hoped his ‘house arrest’ ended soon because he didn’t want to spend the rest of eternity watching Hollywood films that consist of poorly written characters, objectification of women, exploding cars, heteronormality and car chases. He assumed three years was enough time for Hollywood to realise their mistakes when it comes to adventure movies but to Nico it was as though these films were worse than the ones released when he was alive.

Hades, Persephone and Bianca were all constantly in and out of the house. The three were working so they didn’t spend much time with Nico. Not that any of them wanted to spend time with him. Who would? To Hades he was an embarrassment, Persephone hated him for being Hades’ weak son and Bianca hated him for being a zomb- PDS sufferer. Nico just wanted Hazel to come back because he would have someone to spend time with; assuming she still wanted to spend time with her annoying big brother. There was a part of him that was convinced she was going to reject him just like Bianca did and he was petrified by that thought. He had lost Percy and Bianca already, he was not ready to lose Hazel as well.

Whenever she was at home, Bianca avoided Nico like the plague. It made his heart feel heavy and it made him want to cry so so much. His beloved sister hated him. Hades went back to doting on Bianca and Persephone and pretending he didn’t exist - pretty much exactly like before except he was having it shoved down his throat how much better Bianca was than him even more.. Persephone went back to pretending she cared for him but not actually caring for him at all. He hated this new reality but he couldn’t do much to change it. He just hoped things could get better soon.

**~0~**

“Octavian and the HVF are coming!” Bianca panted as soon as she opened the door. From what Nico could see, she looked like she had just run a mile. He was pretending to have a meal with Persephone and Hades and he was certainly not enjoying the meal. When his father and stepmother heard what Bianca told them their eyes widened simultaneously.

“Nico you need to go to your room and stay there. Lock the door and close the windows.” Persephone instructed him, seriousness lacing her normally happy tone.

“Why?”

“Because if they catch you they will kill you.” Hades deadpanned, annoyance seeping into his tone. “This isn’t like the cities.”

Nico stared at him dumbstruck.

“Did you hear what I said boy?” Hades roared, walking to the TV cabinet and getting some kind of weapon (was that a mace?) out. Just in case he mouthed. Maybe they did really care about Nico but this wasn’t going to sell it to him fully, not yet. Nico nodded and got up, running up the stairs and slamming his door. He fumbled with the key and then closed the curtains, peeking out through a small gap just in time to see a dirty landrover pull up in front of the house. Once it stopped, he saw a man getting out of the driver’s door. The man was thinner than him but taller than him with a mop of light straw-like blond hair. He was wearing an outfit similar to the one Bianca was wearing when she came home a few minutes ago; army clothes. The sight of him disgusted Nico. Octavian was a horrible person. Back when Nico was still alive, Octavian made his life a living hell with his constant blackmail and threatening and sneering, he was even worse with Hazel. Octavian joining the HVF wasn’t surprising as he always was bloodthirsty and cruel. He was the type of guy who would love to kill as many people as he could if he was allowed to for even the slightest reason or no valid reason at all. Not that zombies counted as people but it was considered an alternative and killing zombies was technically still legal making it a viable hobby for Octavian to pursue.

Peering through the gap in the curtains, Nico spied Octavian walking towards the house opposite his clearly with a mission on his mind from the way he was walking. The young man was cradling what looked like a small pistol and Nico assumed he was probably smirking at the thought of doing whatever he was about to do. Three more HVF members poured out of the range rover but they weren’t people he was able to recognise in the evening darkness. If it was daytime then he might have been able to recognise them but they were obviously not people who were as distinguishable as Octavian. Perhaps they were new to the area, brought in by the promise of killing a few rabid (or not) zombies.

Octavian knocked on the door of the people who lived in the house directly opposite his. Nico remembered an elderly couple lived there. He didn’t know the couple well but they seemed nice, he didn’t remember one of them dying but then he died quite early on in the year - there was a  possibility one of them was undead however unlikely.

He watched the old man who lived in that house open the door and watched both men converse on the doorstep while Octavian was still cradling the gun in an intimidating manner. Nico could almost imagine the smirk on Octavians face as he scared the man shitless, a pastime Octavian thoroughly enjoyed however up until recently he only really got chance to scare his teddy bears. Then the wife stepped out of the house despite her husband’s pleas and walked towards one of the other HVF members. This woman was clearly PDS, Nico could even tell in the moonlight. She didn’t have any cover-up on as it looked as if she was ready to go to bed. Nico couldn’t help but watch as events unfolded, he could tell this was going down a dark road.  He was worried for his neighbours because he knew Octavian’s ruthlessness better than he knew the back of his own hand.

The HVF volunteer that the woman had walked up to looked at Octavian as if he was awaiting orders. Nico doubted Octavian was going to let the volunteer kill her herself because Octavian wanted the glory more. Octavian was probably imagining the newspaper headlines- “HERO OCTAVIAN KILLS A ZOMBIE!” or something along those lines. Nico wondered just how many PDS sufferers were in Roarton at the moment, and would Octavian be regarded as a hero or not? Probably he would be as the townsfolk here were close minded and stuck to the old ways. Most of them still refused to use mobile phones because of the rumours about how they can scramble brains. This was the worst place to come back to as a zombie - medication or no. Nico pitied himself and any other PDS sufferers in this town.

He just wished Hazel were here so he’d have someone to talk to about it. He had hoped he’d be able to talk to Bianca about it but . . .well, that idea went down the drain didn’t it? Although he wasn’t sure what to think about his last encounter with her. It was almost as though she was worried about him and scared of what her boss would do to him if he found her. That was a complete contrast to how she was treating him ever since he came back to Roarton.

He didn’t doubt she was worried of what Octavian might do but then, she seemed pretty chummy with him. Maybe deep deep down she still cared about Nico but to be honest nothing had been the same between them since their mother died and Persephone endeavoured to ruin their lives with sickly sweet words and flowery patterns and just being an evil stepmother really. Well, maybe not quite evil but Nico was one for exaggerations. She was only a little nicer than Octavian and that was saying something. Maybe it was possible for him and Bianca to mend their relationship? No, that was a stupid idea. She didn’t care about him, she was probably worried for her father and stepmother.

Nico continued watching as the HVF forced the woman the kneel on the road with their guns ready while her husband watched, held back by another HVF. The husband was shouting at Octavian who was standing in front of the woman but Nico didn’t know what the husband was saying because he couldn’t hear. He held his breath while watching the events unfold.

Octavian aimed his pistol near her temples and Nico was aware of the fact that her death would be instant if Octavian aimed there. Nico saw him pull the trigger and watched in horrid fascination the bullet travelling towards her head and re-killing her as soon as it entered her head. He was aware of the husband’s shouts and sobs but he couldn’t tear his sight away from his dead neighbour and Octavian’s cruel smirk. the sick bastard was enjoying it.

Eventually Octavian and the rest of his followers got back in the land rover and drove off to wherever they came from - Nico hoped far far away but he knew that probably wasn’t the case. His neighbour was sobbing over his wife’s body and a neighbour of his went to the old man to try and comfort him. Nico didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to stand there and stare at the body in shock and anger anymore. The alternative to standing there was trying to sleep even though he knew he was going to have nightmares about what happened.

So he tried to sleep despite how hard falling asleep was.

**~0~**

In the morning he was exhausted. He had hardly any sleep and when he managed to drift off he was haunted by the images from the night before. Some of his nightmares consisted of him being on the other side of Octavian’s gun instead of his neighbour and that dream petrified him. He didn’t want to die again and he definitely didn’t want to give Octavian the satisfaction of killing him either. It was true he might have hated the fact that he was alive again but that didn’t mean he wanted to die.

He got ready for the day ahead even though he knew it was another day spent at home alone so technically he didn’t actually have to bother. Yet he wanted to because it counted as something to do.

When he went downstairs to go and get a medication shot, he found they had company. More specifically his former best friend’s best friend Annabeth Chase. He liked Annabeth a lot and he was glad to note she was still alive and looked healthy albeit stressed and exhausted and was now sporting a new nose ring. Upon closer inspection he noted she looked like she had forced her golden locks into a messy ponytail because she was rushing. She was also in deep conversation with his parents and looking at her furrowed brows it was as though she was troubled by whatever she was telling his parents. It also looked like his parents were troubled by what she was explaining to them too. “Annabeth?”

“Nico? So it’s true. Thank the gods you’re here.” She tried to smile but it was more like a grimace. She got up from the sofa and embraced him. The hug was nice and it brought on a wave of nostalgia. Right then and there he realised how much he missed Annabeth. The last time he saw her was at Percy’s memorial which happened to be the first time he ever saw his strong friend cry.

“Technically we are supposed to pretend he’s not here Annabeth.” Persephone reminded her when Annabeth sat down again. Nico couldn’t help scowling at her choice of words.

“True. I think we should tell him.” Said Annabeth.

“No. It’s a bad idea.” Hades replied.

“Tell me what?” He asked, curiosity laced in his tone.

“He has the right to know.” Annabeth countered.

“Know what?” Nico asked again. He wanted to know what his parents were trying to hide from him badly.

“I’m going to tell him.”

“Fine but it’s a bad idea.” Persephone sighed.

“They found Percy . . .  and he’s coming back some time next week.” She told him with a deep breath. She looked at him waiting for a reaction. Percy was alive? That was the best news he had since he found out he had a half-sister called Hazel. Percy freaking Jackson was alive. Nico didn’t know what to say, what to do.

Inside he was screaming but all his mouth would utter was “That’s great.”

“Nico it’s really dangerous for him and for you. You have to be careful. Otherwise you might die or he might die.” She deadpanned. “And plus he’s most likely not like he used to be. I don’t know what happened when he was in the navy but I know whatever happened changed him. His mother said when she saw him yesterday he seemed like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he’s trying to deny the whole thing so please please try not to ask about it.”

“Can I at least see him?”

“If he wants to see you then that’s fine.” Nico smiled at that. His best friend was coming back in a week’s time and his sister was coming back the day after tomorrow, the sister that actually liked him. Things were really looking up for Nico, that was considering Percy wanted to see him - after not even saying goodbye before. Still, Nico was happy for the first time in a long long time and he had no doubt that seeing Percy and Hazel would make him much much happier.


End file.
